Ball-shooting toy



May 28, 1929. H, E, MC Y 1,715,166

' B-ALL snoowme TOY Filed March 22, 1928 Patented May 28, 1929..

inane nanny E. MCCOY, or snnonvrnw, PENNSYLVANIA, nssnmon To THE MCDOWELL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, on PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A'oonPonATIoN.

- BALLSHOOTING ToY.

Application filed March 22, 1928. 7 Serial No. 263,928.

his invention relates to mechanical toys,

and more particularly to a .mechanical toy which can be operated as a game and wherein one or more balls are impelled over a pan or similar object. According to the invention it is proposed to place movable targets out of the normal path of travel of the balls, said targets being so located as to be hit by the balls when gravity acting'against centrifugal force pulls the balls out of their normal path of travel.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a target of novel construction in the form of an aeroplane which is free to roll over the surface of the pan or other game board.

The invention may be understood by refer ence to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, and wherein y s Figure 1 is a plan View of a toy embodying my invention; 7 s

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of line IIII of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a plan View of the blankfrom which one of the toy aeroplanes is formed.

In the drawings 2 designates a dish-like pan having an upstanding flange 3 around its periphery, the edge of the flange being curled over. At the center of the pan there maybe a flat portion 4, although this is not necessary. Mounted on a pin 5 secured to the pan 2 is the shank 6 of a spinner disk 7 Y The disk 7 is preferably of a relatively heavy metal and the lower surface thereof is preferably conis enclosed in a housing 8 with a downwardly turned flange 9 thereon. The housing 8 and the flange 9 completely enclose the disk except that atone side of the housing is a passageway 10 and at the'other side ofthe housing is a passageway 11.

10 and '11 are in the form of curved extensions at opposite sides of the housing and these passageways are substantially concentric with the flange 3 of the pan. Itwill also be'seen that the edge of the disk 7 is spaced only a slight distance away. from the flange 3. On the under side of the pan are one or more lugs 12. These lugs cause the pan to, set at an angle on a fiat surface with the portion of the pan where the disk and housing are located at the lowest part of the pan. When-the pan is set on the flat surface the top of the housing 8 is substantially horizontal, as shown in Figure vex, as best shown in Figure 2. The disk 7 By reference to Figure 1 it will be seen that the passageways 2. The shank 6 of the disk 7 projectsabove the housing and may have a string 13 secured thereto and adapted to be wrapped there. about. The arrangement is such that when the string is pulled the disk may be spun at a high velocity, like a top, the pin 5 form ing a bearing wherein there is very little friction. Due to the weight of the disk it has considerablemomentum and will spin for" a considerable period of time.

Arranged about the .upper portion of the pan are a plurality of pockets or depressions 14. A. toy target 15 may be set in each depression.

I have shown the targets 15 as being in the form of aeroplanes. Each aeroplane 15 is preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal having a wing portion 16 from which extends a tail portion17. Extending forwardly from the wing portion 16 is an extension 18 having-oppositely extending cars 19 thereon. .At20 is a perforation in this extension. The extension is bent over to form a nose 21, as shown in Figure 2 and the metal folds back upon itself so thatthe ears 19 are under the tail 17. The ears 19 are bent, up over the tail to fasten the parts together. A

steel ball 22 sets in the opening 20 and is located between the "lower strip of metal and the upper strip of metal. At the center of the wing portion is asmall perforation 22 in i which the top of the ball is received." Both the openings 20 and 22 are smaller than the diameter of' the ball so that the ball is con.- fined in th'e'metal structure. At the, same time-the ball is free toirotate so that if the aeroplane is set on an inclined surface'it, willv roll by gravity. When the aeroplane rolls down an incline or flat surface, the tail drags on the surface with enough friction to always cause the-nose of the plane to point in the direction the plane is traveling. tion' of the aeroplane .is extremely simple. vVhenthe aeroplanes are positioned over the .pocketsl i the portion of the ball 22' thereof which projects through the bottom of they aeroplane structure will rest'in the pocket, and keep the plane from rolling down the inclined surface. In Figural I have shown three of the "aeroplanesin their normal position and have shown the normal position of the othertwo in dotted lines whilezthe full line position of two of the planes show where the planes will roll when they are knockedout of their respective pockets. In the operation The construcof the toy the disk 7 is spun at a high velocity, as previously described. The player rolls steel balls, such as ball bearings, into the passage 10.- There may be five or six such balls. When the balls roll into engagement with the disk 7 they Will be forced under the outer edge of the disk, and propelled at a high.

velocity out the passage 11. As long as the disk 7 is revolving at high velocity the balls, designated 23, will travel around the flange 3 at high velocity. They will have suilicient momentum to reenter the passage 10 and have additional force imparted thereto by again passing under the disk 7. As the disk 7 begins to slow down the balls will be propelled with a gradually decelerated speed.

Finally they will not have sufficient momentum to travel around the outer edge of the pan, and will dropi n toward the center of the pan. In dropping'in toward the center they 7 will frequently collide with the targets or rolling-down the inclined surface so as to aeroplanes 15. They are of sufficient size that they will dislodge theaeroplanes, and the aeroplanes will roll down to the lowest part of the pan. Thus in the operation of the toy the series'of balls 23 travels several times completely around the pan at high velocity and finally some of them will hit the aeroplanes and knock them down. he action being intended to simulate or suggest the idea of aeroplanes being shot down from the sky, and to carry out this effect, the pan is preferably suitably decorated.

In order to carry out the idea of a game,

the aeroplanes, or the pockets for receiving tain limits in order to preventthe balls from V jamming when they pass under the disk.

"While I .have shown and described aparticular construction, it will be-un'derstood that the invention is not limited to the par ticular construction and arrangement herein spec1f1cally disclosed and that various changes andmodlficatmns may be made therein. It

will also be understood that the invention is not confined to the use of miniature aeroplanes for targets, as other suitable targets may be employed. It is preferable, however, that a target he provided which is capable of s additional action I claim:

to the toy.

' 1. In a toy, a flanged pan, and means 10- cated at one side ofthe pan forpropelling balls around the pan, said means including a spinning disk adapted to frictionally engage the balls.

2. In a toy, a flanged pan, and means located at one side of the pan for propelling balls around the pan, said means including a spinning disk adapted to frictionally engage the balls, said pan being inclined with said means at the lowermost point thereof.

3. In a toy, a ball propelling device comprising a disk, a pivot on which the disk may be spun, said disk being free to move up and down vertically between certain limits, and

means over which balls may roll inv passing under the disk.

4. In a toy, a pan, a spinning disk having a portion thereof spaced above the pan, and

balls adapted .to roll under the disk and be propelled thereby.

5. In a toy, a pan, a spinning disk having a portion thereof spaced above the pan, balls adapted to roll under the disk and be propelled thereby, a housing enclosing the disk, a guideway for feeding the balls to the disk and a passageway through which balls may pass from the disk.

6. In a mechanical toy, a substantially circular pan having a flange around the periphery thereof, a disk -rotatably mounted on the pan eccentrically thereof, the periphery of the disk being relatively close to said flange, the bottom of the disk being spaced away from the bottomof the pan, and balls adapted to roll around the pan and under the disk.

7. In a mechanical toy, a substantially circular pan having a. flange around the periphery thereof, a disk rotatably mounted on the pan eccentrically thereof, the periphery of the disk being relatively close to said flange, the bottom of the disk being spaced away from the bottom of the pan, and balls adapted to roll around the pan and under the disk, the and er "surface of thedisk being conveXed.

8. In a mechanical toy, a substantially circular pan having a flange around the periphery thereof, a disk rotatably mounted on the pan eccentrically thereof, the periphery of the disk being relatively close to said flange, the bottom of the disk being spaced away from the bottom of the pan, and balls adapted to roll around the pan and under the disk, the under surface of the disk being conveXed, said disk being movable vertically to a slight extent.

9. In a mechanical toy, a substantially circular pan'havinga flange around the periphery thereof, a disk rotatably mounted on the pan eccentrically thereof, the periphery of the disk being'relatively close to said flange, the bottom of the disk being spaced away from the bottom of the pan, and balls adapted to 7 roll around the pan and under the disk, the

under surface of thedisk bein-gconvexed, and a housing substantially enclosing the disk,

said housing having oppositely extending passageways through which balls may be guided from the pan under the disk, said housing also serving to prevent the balls from engaging the disk except at a desired point.

10. In a toy, a pan, a disk mounted in the pan and having a portion of its under surface spaced above the pan, and balls adapted to roll in the pan and be frictionally engaged by passing between the disk and the pan.

11. In a toy, an inclined dished pan, a disk mounted in the pan and having a portion of 1 its under surface spaced above the pan, and

balls adapted to roll in the pan and be frictionally engaged by passing between the disk and the pan, said disk being located at the lowest portion of the pan.

12. In a top, an inclined dished pan, a disk mounted in the pan and having a portion of its under surface spaced above the pan, and balls adapted to roll in the pan and be frictionally engaged by passing between the disk and the pan, said disk being located at the lowest portion of the pan, said pan having a flange around the edge thereof, and'having a series of recesses in the upper portion thereof, and a target adapted to roll over the inclined pan received in each recess.

13. A toy target comprising a sheet metal frame, and a ball in the frame with a portion thereof projecting through the frame and adapted to provide a rolling surface for the target whereby the target may roll by gravity over an inc-lined surface, said target having a rearwardly extending portion adapted to drag on the surface over which the target rolls, whereby one end of the target will al- I ways point itself in the direction in which L the target 1s rolling.

and lower portions, lateral projections on the upper portion to represent wings, a ball retained between theupper and lower portions and projecting through, an opening in the lower portion of less diameter than the diameter of the ball to provide a rolling surface for the target, the ends of the portions being clipped together.

15. In a toy, a flanged pan inclined toward one side thereof and having a target retaining detent therein, means located at oneside I of the pan for propelling balls thereabout, and a target element adapted to roll on the inclined pan retained in said detent.

16. In a toy, a flanged pan having a plurality of target retaining detents therein, a

target element in each detent adapted to move over the surface of the pan, and means for propelling a ball around the pan, a portion of the pan being sloped whereby the ball will roll away from the flange as it loses momentum, said target retaining detents being located on the inclined portion of the pan.

17. In a mechanical toy, a flanged disk 'which is dished, means at one side of the pan for propelling balls thereabout, said disk having a plurality of target retaining re-' cesses therein, a target adapted to roll by gravity retained in each recess and adapted to be released from the recess by contact of a ball therewith, said recesses being spaced inwardly from the flange about the disk.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. i 1

, HARRY E. MCCOY.

CERTIFICATE or connrcrton.

Patent No. 1,715,166. Granted May 28, 1929, to

HARRY E. McGQY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the v above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 18, elaim 12, for the word "top" read "toy"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of July, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

